Aerosol dispenser with lateral discharge and heating holder therefor



May 27, 1969 E. B. GASSER ET 3,446,402

AEROSOL DISPENSER WITH LATERAL DISCHARGE AND HEATING HOLDER THEREFOROriginal Filed Aug. 26, 1965 a\\\\ 73'. r 1 -44: :A fkyl xw; 5x. v 56 IW INVENTORS 26 H EDWARD anucs GASSER l4 and DEN/.5 .1. HEAL) 3 BY 3 IMG? 5 ATTORNEYS" United States Patent 3,446,402 AEROSOL DISPENSER WITHLATERAL DISCHARGE AND HEATING HOLDER THEREFOR Edward Bruce Gasser,Orange, N.J., and Denis J. Healy,

New York, N.Y., assignors to Colgate-Palmolive Company, New York, N.Y.,a corporation of Delaware Continuation of application Ser. No. 482,844,Aug. 26, 1965. This application July 24, 1967, Ser. No. 655,664 Int. Cl.B67d /62 U.S. Cl. 222-146 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE -A holderfor a pressurized dispensing container including a warming chamber forthe dispensed product and means to cooperatively receive the depressiblevalve stem in substantially all rotative positions of the container.

This application is a continuation of my copending application Ser. No.482,844, filed Aug.26, 1965, now abandoned.

.This invention relates to dispensers of the aerosol type and isparticularly concerned with such of the type having a depressible hollowplunger provided with a lateral discharge arrangement for directionalcontrol.

Many different types of aerosol dispensers have been proposed andinvariably the widest used conventional type employs a depressiblehollow plunger that discharges axially at its outer end through a headstructure containing directional passages. There has been considerabledevelopment of special head structures for directional control of thedischarged material. The present invention provides a relatively simpleinexpensive construction which solves the problem and provides definitedirectional control of the discharged material, together with novelassembly thereof into a warming head holder.

With the foregoing in mind it is a major object of the present inventionto provide a novel aerosol type container structure of the type having adepressible hollow valve stem wherein a lateral discharge port isprovided in the valve stem for directional control of the dischargedmaterial.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel aerosol containerdischarge control wherein the depressible hollow valve stem has alateral outlet port associated with a directional operating headpassage.

A further object of the invention is the novel assembly of the foregoingaerosol container with a special holder and warming head device,particularly detailed structure of the former.

Further objects of the invention will appear in connection with theappended claims and the annexed drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary section showing an embodiment of theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a section substantially on line 2--2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary section showing another embodiment of theinvention; and

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation partially broken away and in sectionshowing a further embodiment of the invention.

FIGURES 1 and 2 show the upper end of a more or less conventionalaerosol type container embodying the invention.

The upper end of the container for a material under pressure comprisesthe upstanding valve enclosing boss 11 integral with the top wall 12 ofa fluid tight container 13 of the type shown in FIGURE 4.

A valve housing 14 is formed with an external groove 15 that coactswithin inwardly impressed crimp 16 in the boss 11 that retains the valvebody against longitudinal displacement in the container.

At the upper end of the valve body a sealing annulus 17 of rubber orlike resilient material is longitudinally contained between valve body14 and the top wall 18 of boss 11.

Valve body 14 is formed centrally with an upper enlarged bore 19 and alower reduced bore 21 opening into the contents of the container througha flexible dip tube 22 suspended from the valve body.

A plunger 23 is slidably mounted within bore 21. As shown in FIGURE 2the sides of plunger 23 are recessed to provide longitudinal passages24. A coiled compression spring 25 is bottomed in how 19 and urgesplunger 23 upwardly. The upper end of plunger 23 is of reducedcross-section to form a hollow stem 24 having an internal bore 25 openat the outer end and closed at its lower end. One or more lateral ports26 are formed in the lower end of stem 24 just above the flat annularface 27 of the plunger which engages resilient annulus 17.

Just above lateral port 26 'where the stem 24 extends through aperture28 in wall 18 stem 24 is formed with a downwardly and inwardly taperedsmooth annular surface 29 that is snugly engaged by the internalperiphery of annulus 17. As shown in FIGURE 1, the inner periph cry ofannulus 17 normally closes all passages 24 and the lateral port or ports26 under the force of spring 25, so that the pressurized contents of thecontainer cannot escape.

The foregoing structure is essentially conventional, being preferablythat disclosed in U.S. Letters Patent No. 2,631,812 issued Mar. 17, 1953to R. H. Abplanalp.

Above the level of boss 11, stem 24 terminates in an open end edge 31and is formed below that edge with a lateral discharge port 32 leadingout of bore 25.

An operating head 33 is mounted on the upper end of stem 24 and it isformed interiorly with a bore 34 that fits snugly upon stem 24 and has abutton 35 piloted within and sealingly closing the upper end of bore 25.Internally head 33 is formed with a through passage consisting of alongitudinal section 36 opening at its lower end into port 32, aninclined section 37 and a laterally directed section 38 terminating in aspray nozzle 39. Preferably a spline or the like is provided betweenstem 24 and bore 34 to properly orient passage 36 with port 32.

When head 33 is depressed against the force of spring 25, the innerperiphery of sealing annulus 17 is sufiiciently deformed to provide afluid transmitting connection between passages 24 and ports 26 wherebythe pressurized contents of the container may discharge through bores 21and 19, passages 24, ports 26, bore 25, port 32 and the passage in head33. This arrangement provides a simple reliable directional control ofthe dispensed material.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 3 the parts are thesame as in FIGURES 1 and 2 except for the plunger stem 24' and head 33'.Stem 24' is an integral hollow extension of plunger 23 and is formedwith a bore 25 intersected at right angles by a lateral discharge port32'.

Head 33' has a closed end longitudinal bore 25 by which it fits snuglyupon stem 24 in spaced relation to can wall 18, with internal button 41of the head being piloted into and sealing closed the open upper end ofbore 25'.

Bore 25' is formed with an annular wall recess 42 that communicates withthe outer end of port 32' regardless of the angular position of head 33on the stem, and with a lateral discharge port 43 having a spray nozzle44.

Operation is essentially the same as in FIGURES 1 and 2. When head 33 isdepressed the contents of the 3 container may discharge past the innerperiphery of sealing annulus 17 and through bore 25', port 32, recess 42and port 43, with effective directional control.

FIGURE 4 discloses the invention as incorporated in an assembly whereina disposable container may be installed in a special warming headfixture, as for shaving cream dispensing where warming of thepressurized fluid being discharged contributes to its efliciency andcomfort during use.

The container 13 shown in FIGURE 4 may be the same as that of FIGURE 3,for example, with the operating head of the latter removed.

Container 13 is mounted in a combination holder and actuator assemblycomprising a base 45, an upstanding part-cylindrical wall 46, and anupper warming head 47 that extends over the top of the container.Preferably, as illustrated, the base 45, wall 46 and head are anintegrally molded plastic structure, formed of some flexible lightweightmaterial such as polyethylene.

Head 47 is formed with a downwardly open bore 48 that snugly receivesvalve stem 24 and the bottom of bore 48 contains button 49 that pilotsinto and seals the upper open top of bore stem 25 when the container isin position.

Internally bore 48 is formed with an annular recess 51 at the level ofvalve discharge port 38, and recess 51 communicates with a lateraldischarge port 52 having an intermediate enlarged expansion chamberportion 53 and a spray nozzle 54.

A suitable heating wire coil 55 surrounds the discharge port at portion53, the current carrying wires 56 for the coil also being imbedded andprojecting from the rear of this holder at 57 for attachment to a plugor the like if the holder is to be portable.

Thus it will be seen that the container 13 may be merely inserted intothe open :front of the holder, base 45 flexing downwardly to permit thestem 35 to be thrust up into bore 48 and the lower end of the containerto be swung into longitudinal alignment with the holder. An integrallower rim 58 is preferably provided around the open edge of the base tohelp retain the container in the holder, and it may be desirable toprovide within the holder wall an arcuate recess 59 to interfit with therounded upper body wall rim 61 of the container being inserted. This rimhelps locate the container body in the holder, and since recess 51 isannular, port 38 will open into recess 51 in any position of rotation ofthe holder on base 45.

The inherent resilience of the plastic holder is such that the partsreassume the condition of FIGURE 4 when the container 13 is inserted.

For operation, with the wires 56 connected, the operator merely pressesdown at top surface 62 of the head 47, whereby, due to the flexibilityof the wall section 46 upwardly of recess 59, the head 47 moves down anddepresses stem 24 to discharge the contents of the container through thehead port 52.

In passing through port 52, the gas-liquid mixture expands and slows upsomewhat within chamber 53 thereby affording added time for improvedwarming from coil 55.

When the contents of container 13 have been dispensed it can easily beremoved and a fresh disposable container installed in the holder in amatter of seconds. These refills can be sold with a removable plasticcap covering the open end of bore 25 and port 32.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therfore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

4 What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a container for dispensing fluid under pressure,

a valve mechanism in the upper part of said container having adepressible hollow stem having its lower end within the container indirect operative connection with said valve mechanism and formed with alongitudinal bore through which said fluid passes when the stem isdepressed to open the valve, the upper end of said stem projecting outof said container, an operating head having a recess snugly fitting uponsaid outer end of the stem, means at the bottom of said head recessextending completely over and closing the outer end of said stern bore,means providing a lateral fluid discharge port through the wall of saidstem, and means forming a pas sage through said head open at its innerend to said discharge port and having its outer end in the side of saidhead, said head recess being a closed outer end bore snugly receivingsaid valve stem, and said bore being formed with a circumferentiallyextending internal groove of appreciable extent intersecting the innerend of said passage and registering with said lateral port in a numberof different rotative positions of said stem relative to the head.

2. A mounting holder for a disposable container of the type having adepressible hollow valve actuating stem with a lateral discharge port insaid stem for dispensing fluid under pressure, said holder comprising alower base, an upper head overhanging the base and a normally stiff sidewall extending between the base and head having a portion capable offlexing, said side wall being mainly laterally open between said baseand head, means forming a downwardly facing closed bottom bore in saidhead adapted to receive said stem and close the upper end of said hollowstem when a container is inserted. through the open side wall to seat onsaid base and a fluid discharge passage through said head registerableat its inner end with said port, said holder side wall flexing inresponse to pressure on said head to depress said stem and discharge thecontainer through said stem, port and passage.

3. The mounting holder defined in claim 2, including means in said headfor heating fluid in said head passage.

4. The mounting holder defined in claim 3, wherein said heating means isa coil imbedded in the head in surrounding relation to said passage andhaving connections for a source of electrical energy.

5. The mounting holder defined in claim 3, wherein said passage isformed with an enlarged expansion portion that is surrounded by saidheating means.

6. In the mounting holder defined in claim 2, means defining acircumferential groove in said head bore intersecting the inner end ofsaid head passage and located to register with said stem port insubstantially all rotative positions of said container in the holder.

7. A combination holder and warming head assembly for operativelymounting a disposable dispensing container of the type having adepressible hollow actuating stem provided with an outlet dischargingfluid under pressure comprising a head structure in said assemblyproviding a fluid warming chamber having means for heating the interiorthereof, there being an inlet to said chamber and an outlet therefrom,retainer means in said assembly for removably mounting and retainingsaid container thereon with the stem outlet in fluid communication withthe chamber inlet, and means comprising a flexible portion of saidassembly adapted to abut the end of the stem of the retained containerand operating when flexed to depress said stem and effect discharge offluid from the container through said warming chamber.

8. A combination holder and warming head assembly for operativelymounting a disposable dispensing container of the type having adepressible hollow valve actuating stem. structure provided with anoutlet for discharging fluid under pressure from the containercomprising a container support portion and a flexibly connected warminghead portion formed with a warming chamber having an inlet and anoutlet, and means for retaining said container on the support portionwith said stem structure operably engaging said head portion and saidstem structure outlet incommunication with said chamber inlet, so thatflexing of said warming head portion depresses said stem structure todischarge fluid from the container through said chamber and the chamberoutlet.

9. The combination holder and warming head structure defined in claim 8,wherein said container support portion comprises a base for seating thebottom of the container and the warming head portion overhangs said baseand said portions are connected by a flexible side wall of the assemblyso that when the container is seated on said base said stern structureabuts the underside of said warming head portion and may be actuated bypressing said head toward said base.

10. For use in a holder that comprises a container supporting base, amember upstanding from said base, a head structure mounted on saidmember to extend in overhanging relation to said base, said headstructure having a bore opening downwardly toward the base and having aside passage that intersects said bore at its inner end and terminatesoutwardly in a discharge aperture, and actuating means on the headstructure adapted to operably depress the valve stem of an aerosol-typecontainer adapted to extend into said bore; a disposable aerosol-typedispensing container having a bottom adapted to seat on said base andhaving a depressible hollow valve actuating stem projecting upwardlytherefrom adapted to release fluid under pressure from the containerinto said stern when the stem is depressed toward the container, and alateral fluid discharge port in said stem, said port being so locatedthat, when said container is seated on said base with said stemprojecting into said head structure bore, said lateral port is in fluidcommunication with the inner end of said passage in the head structureand remains in such communication with said passage when said actuatingmeans is operated to depress the valve stem of the seated container.

11. For use in a holder that comprises a container supporting base, amember upstanding from said base, a head structure mounted on saidmember to extend in overhanging relation to said base, said headstructure having a substantially cylindrical bore opening downwardlytoward said base and having a side passage intersecting said bore indownwardly spaced relation to said recess bottom and terminatingoutwardly in a discharge aperture, and actuating means on the headstructure adapted to operably depress the valve stem of an aerosol typecontainer adapted to extend into said bore; a disposable aerosol-typedispensing container having a depressible hollow cylindrical valveactuating stem projecting upwardly therefrom adapted to release fluidunder pressure from the container into said stem when the stem isdepressed toward the container, and a lateral discharge port in saidstem, said stem being of such size as to be adapted to fit snugly withinsaid bore and said port being so located that, when said container isseated on the base with the stem projecting into said bore, said port isin fluid communication with the inner end of said passage in the headstructure and remains in such communication when actuating means isoperated to depress the valve stem of the seated container.

12. For use in a holder that comprises a container supporting base, amember upstanding from that base, a head structure mounted on saidmember to extend in overhanging relation to said base, said structurehaving a closed bottom bore opening downwardly toward said base andhaving a side passage that intersects the bore intermediate the bottomand the open end thereof and terminates outwardly in a dischargeaperture, and actuating means on the head structure adapted to operablydepress the valve stem of an aerosol-type container adapted to extendinto said bore; a disposable aerosol-type dispensing container having adepressible hollow valve stem projecting upwardly therefrom adapted torelease fluid under pressure from the container intothe stem when thestem is depressed toward said container and a lateral discharge port inthe stern, said stem being of such size as to be adapted to snugly fitwithin said bore and said port being so located that, when the containeris in said holder seated on said base with the stem bottomed within saidbore, said port is in fluid communication with the inner end of saidpassage and remains in such communication when said actuating means isoperated to depress the valve stem of said seated container.

13. For use in a combination holder and warming head assembly having acontainer seating base and a warming head structure flexibly mounted tooverhang said base, said head structure having a downwardly open boreand having a side passage containing a warming chamber that is providedwith an inlet intersection said bore and a discharge outlet; adisposable aerosol-type dispensing container having a bottom adapted toseat on said base and a depressible hollow valve stem extending upwardlythere from adapted to release fluid under pressure into said stem whenthe stem is depressed toward the container, and a lateral discharge portin said stem, said stem being of such size as to be adapted to fitsnugly within said bore and to have end abutment within said bore whenthe container is seated on said base, and said port being so locatedthat when the container is seated on the base the port is in fluidcommunication with the inlet to the warming chamber, whereby when thehead structure is flexed relative to said base the stem of a seatedcontainer in said assembly is depressed to discharge fluid underpressure through said warming chamber passage.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,624,623 1/1953 Saacke.2,662,668 12/1953 Schmidt. 2,686,652 8/1954 Carlson et a1. 2,806,739 9/1957 Drell. 3,146,916 9/1964 Kronbeim. 3,186,645 6/1965 Eberlin.3,229,858 1/1966 Lesh.

FOREIGN PATENTS 191,767 9/1964 Sweden.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

- US. Cl. X.R. 222l80, 402.24

